GRA Task Force Commends Ho Traders

By Alberto Mario Noretti

Ho — THE Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has commended traders in Ho for their highly cooperative stance over the excise tax stamps required on some local and foreign products in their shops.

The excise tax stamp is a specially designed stamp with digital and other security features which is affixed on excisable goods to show that taxes and duties have been paid or will be paid.

A GRA task force carried out another inspection exercise of shops in Ho yesterday to ensure their compliance to the requirement.

Madam Jennifer Yawa Dzeble, Principal Revenue Officer and leader of the task force, said that most the traders whose shops were inspected displayed ample information on the stamps.

"Those who do not have the stamps on some of their products have expressed their readiness to apply for them," she said.

Madam Dzeble mentioned cigarettes and other tobacco products; alcoholic beverages - bottled, canned, contained in kegs for sale or packaged in any form, non-alcoholic carbonated beverages and bottled water are items which attracted excise tax stamp.

"The specified excisable goods whether locally manufactured or imported shall be affixed with stamp which are free of charge in the interim," she added.

The Principal Revenue Officer explained that the excise tax stamp was not a new tax but rather a means of identifying goods on which excise tax had been paid or would be paid.

She warned that beyond the inspection, any specified excisable product found displayed without the tax stamp would be liable to seizure and the person selling, distributing or displaying the products would be prosecuted.

Madam Dzeble, therefore, entreated traders to take inventory of their goods and obtain the stamps to affix on their outstanding products, and reminded manufacturers of excisable products to file the monthly excise duty in the usage of the stamps as prescribed.

Mr Ernest Annan, Senior Revenue Officer of the Excise Unit of GRA, explained that the stamps were meant to check under declaration of revenue by traders and check faking of products as well raise revenue for the country.

Some of the traders whose shops were inspected by the task force said that the exercise provided them with adequate information on how to apply for the stamps without stress.

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